


So It Goes

by sammisue



Category: GTLive, The Film Theorists - Fandom, The Game Theorists - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Game Theory, Stephew, film theory - Freeform, stephpat - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-05
Updated: 2017-03-05
Packaged: 2018-09-28 09:10:10
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,508
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10084280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sammisue/pseuds/sammisue
Summary: While driving back from the grocery store with Jason's birthday cake, Matthew and Stephanie endure a head-on collision with a drunk driver, rendering both unconscious. Matthew turns out alright, escaping with only a few minor bruises and a slight concussion, but Stephanie's legs break in the process. After leaving the hospital, Stephanie is forced to learn how to walk again and Matthew promises to do everything in his power to help her, but as time goes on, both Patricks are unsure if Stephanie will ever fully recover causing Stephanie to feel useless and Matthew to blame the accident on his own reckless driving. Will Stephanie ever fully recover? Will Matthew ever forgive himself? Only time will tell.Beginning chapters are the most physically painful for it describes the crash and deals with most of Stephanie's hospitalization. The rest are equal parts fluff equal parts emotional, but 100% Matthew and Stephanie bonding. If you love someone so much, even almost five years of marriage is not enough time to fully know each other c;Jason and Chris also play big supporting roles in this fanfic.*Blows kiss to sky* for Jason and Chris





	1. Acknowledgements

A special thank you to Jessica DeRemer (@Zeldanerdgirl) for the fanfiction prompt.

Also, a huge thank you to all of my Camp Theorist friends!

Jessica (@Zeldanerdgirl)

Gem (@gemcavern2550)

Rainy (@Storybrookebby)

Monica (@sexualtopiary)

Rowan (@matpatbroadway)

Brooke (@brookenit)

Lark (@LarkSweetsong)

Victoria (@Victhetheorist4)

Your constant enthusiasm, positive attitude, crucial feedback, powerful suggestions, and love for Matthew and Stephanie Patrick keep me writing.


	2. Impact

"We are getting you a cake Jason," Matthew announced as he slipped his right arm into his jacket sleeve, "and that's final."

Jason sighed as he pressed his lower back into the edge of the granite counter in the Patricks' kitchen. He folded his arms over his chest. Today was his birthday and both Matthew and Stephanie insisted on celebrating it on the livestream, much to Jason's dismay. Jason briefly looked at Chris, who sat on the granite island counter adjacent to him. Chris shrugged. Jason turned his attention back to Matthew, who was grabbing his car keys.

"Oh come on Mat," he protested, "I really don't need a cake. My birthday isn't that special."

"Oh, yes it is!" Jason jumped at the sound of Stephanie's voice, "That's why we're gonna eat it on the livestream!" She noticed that Jason was grasping at his chest slightly. "Did I scare you?" she giggled as she grabbed her wallet that laid next to Chris.

"What, no," Jason lied as he absent-mindedly ran his fingers through his hair. Chris slowly shook his head and smiled. "Anyways, you know you really don't have t--"

Matthew, who was approaching the front door turned to face the kitchen, "Well we're going to," he interrupted with a smirk.

"But you know that I hate being the center of attention, especially on the livestream!"

"That's why they're doing it," Chris laughed as he rested his elbows on this thighs.

"You guys are so stubborn," Jason muttered as Stephanie swiftly passed him while buttoning her trenchcoat. She grabbed her purse off of the counter next to Jason and turned to place a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Yes we are."

Jason rolled his eyes.

"Steph, come on! We have to get this cake in time for the livestream!" Matthew shouted as he opened the front door. He took a deep breath as she bathed in the setting sunlight.

"I'm coming!" Stephanie called as she grabbed their loving cat, who started to fall asleep on a counter stool. He yelped at her sudden interaction. "Byeeee Skeeeep," she cooed as Skip struggled to jump out of her arms. Jason and Chris chuckled as Stephanie was kicked in the chest while Skip escaped her grasp and scurried off into the living room. She frowned as she watched Skip leave, but then quickly turned back to Jason and Chris, "Bye guys."

"Bye Steph," Chris smiled while Jason unfolded his arms to wave goodbye.

As Stephanie stepped across the threshold, Matthew turned to the two men left in the kitchen, "Don't set the house on fire while we're gone," he pointed an accusing finger at his friends. Chris half-heartedly raised his hands to show his innocence while Jason rolled his eyes. Matthew laughed, "Bye guys," and shut the door behind him.

"Bye Mat," Jason and Chris responded in unison.

As the door slammed behind them, Jason turned to Chris, "Do you think they secretly hate me?"

Chris laughed, "They like you enough to keep you around, that's for sure." With one swift movement, he lifted himself off of the counter and landed on the tiled floor next to Jason. He proceeded to slap Jason on the back in a playful manner.

"Come one, let's set up the livestream while they're gone."

*

Stephanie's elbow perched on the side of the passenger door as she watched the silhouettes of houses pass by her window. Between each alley, the setting sun shone brightly, blinding her for a moment before it hid behind the buildings again. She became mesmerized by the patterns of the clouds against the orange and pink sky as the car rolled forward, passing gas stations, family owned shops, and the occasional tree. The static of the radio filled the car with white noise. The atmosphere was eerily quiet between the two Patricks and Matthew was not comfortable with how quiet his wife had become.

"Hey, Steph, are you alright?" Matthew asked as he turned off the radio.

"Huh?" Stephanie shook her head at the sound of Matthew's voice, breaking her trance, "Yeah, yeah I'm alright."

"You don't seem like you are. What's going on? Talk to me."

"Oh, really it's nothing. I was just staring out the window," she reassured him.

"Deep in thought?" He asked.

"No, not really. Just taking in the scenery," she sighed. She turned her gaze away from the window as the sun blinded her once more and turned her attention to the cake that sat in her lap. It was not the most magnificent cake by any means, but it was just enough for a group of four to enjoy.

"I hope Jason likes the cake we picked for him," Stephanie muttered.

"I bet he will," Matthew responded, "Look, we even got him blue frosting. He likes blue, right?"

"I think his favorite color is green actually," Stephanie responded as she turned back to her window.

"Well, blue will have to do. At least we didn't pick out that god-awful red frosting. We don't want him to suffer _that_ much," Matthew chuckled.

"Well, yeah, I guess," Stephanie smiled, "We are already making him eat it on the livestream against his will."

"Speaking of the livestream, what are we playing today?" Matthew asked.

"I think it's called 'Happy Room'," Stephanie responded as she traced the words 'Happy Birthday Jason' with her index finger on the plastic covering of the cake, "I hope it's scary."

"Well, it is scary games Friday," Matthew pointed out, "Do you know anything about the game?"

"Not at all, do you?"

"No clue," Matthew admitted.

"Maybe we can ask Jason before we play it," Stephanie suggested as she watched the cars pass them on the opposite side of the street.

"Jason probably doesn't even know what it's about," Matthew chuckled, "and if he did, he definitely wouldn't tell us."

Stephanie shook her head to break herself from another trance, "Yeah, I guess you're right." She pondered for a moment, gazing out of her window again, "I wonder if it's anything like 'A Chair in a Room'."

Matthew's smile faded, "If it's anything like 'A Chair in a Room' I'm quitting."

Stephanie turned to face her husband and gazed at his features; the way his jaw moved as he spoke, the way his cheeks flourished as he remembered embarrassing moments from past streams, and how the setting sun brought out the most vibrant hues in his brown eyes. She sighed slightly as Matthew smiled again.

"I see you staring at me over there," he chuckled, not once taking his eyes off of the road.

Stephanie tensed as she quickly turned away, "What are y-you talking about?" she flinched as she stuttered.

"Stephanie, we've been married for almost five years now, why are you so embarrassed?" Matthew laughed, "You're acting so weird."

"U-uh," Stephanie pondered, "because I'm still in awe of you, I don't know."

Matthew stopped laughing, "Wait, what?"

"I don't know," Stephanie repeated, quieter this time, "your looks, your sense of humor, your love for me. Sometimes I have to remind myself I'm not dreaming."

"Since when did you become so sentimental?" Matthew smiled, "I mean, I'm not complaining, but still."

Stephanie shook her head, "I don't know what came over me to be honest," she nervously laughed to soothe her racing heart. She slowly placed her hand on top of Matthew's, that rested on the center console, and laced her fingers with his. Matthew slightly smiled as he felt Stephanie's clammy fingers interlock with his own. Silence filled the car once more as Matthew continued to drive them back home. He enjoyed the moment that passed between them, but Stephanie, on the other hand, found the silence painfully awkward.

She started to pull at her jacket, "Is it hot in here or is it just me?"

"Pretty sure it's you," Matthew smirked.

Stephanie unlaced her fingers from her husband's hand slapped his right arm. Matthew let out a half-hearted yelped as he flinched at her touch.

"You deserved that," she scolded, arms crossed upon her chest. As the car slowly approached an intersection, Matthew let out a distorted chuckle, which caused Stephanie to burst into a fit of laughter. After realizing how loud she was, she tried her best to stifle her expressions by covering her mouth with her hands, but she did not succeed.

"I know, I know, I sound like a dying dolphin," Matthew smiled as the car rolled to a stop.

Stephanie uncovered her mouth and focused back on Matthew. In one swift motion, she raised her torso over the center console and kissed Matthew's cheek. It was a short kiss, and sweet; one full of admiration and love. As soon as Matthew felt her soft, warm lips on his cheek, she pulled away. Matthew turned to see Stephanie stare back at him. He noticed the light of the evening sky reflect off of her smooth cheeks and the way her body moved as she leaned towards him. She really was beautiful and Matthew had a hard time resisting the urge to kiss her back.

A green light flashed in the corner of his eye, prompting him to move the car through the intersection. Without hesitation, Matthew resumed his position and slowly pressed the gas.

"I love you Steph," he smiled.

"I love you too Ma--"

Stephanie's affirmation was abruptly cut short by a loud, yet brief, scream from Matthew and a sharp pivot of the car. Stephanie's body immediately flung over the center console while Matthew's head rebounded off of the car window and landed on the steering wheel, allowing his chest to lean on the car horn. Before either passenger could comprehend what happened, they were engulfed in a void-like darkness.

*

Matthew groaned as the smell of smoke filled his nostrils. "What happened?" he muttered as she partially opened his eyes and slowly lifted his body off of the steering wheel, silencing the car horn. He peered out of his cracked car window to see debris and blood scattered across the pavement. In the distance, innocent bystanders looked panic-stricken while shouting incomprehensible words into their phones. Matthew slowly blinked. He placed his hand on his forehead in an attempt to soothe his growing headache as he looked out the broken windshield. The once orange sky was plagued with exhaust. Sirens started to grow louder in the distance, which snapped Matthew out of his gaze.

"Did we just ... crash?"

Matthew's breath hitched as a sudden state of panic swept over his body. He quickly turned to the passenger side of the car to check on Stephanie but felt a sting of pain in his chest as soon as he scanned the scene. Stephanie, held up only by the locked seatbelt, hunched over the center of the car covered in frosting and blood. Purple bruises started to form around her neck where the seatbelt dug into her pale skin.

"Stephanie?" Matthew spoke quietly, slightly choking on his own words.

No response.

Matthew unbuckled his seatbelt and turned his aching, bruised body towards Stephanie. Her hair, which was once tucked neatly into a braided crown, stuck to the sides of her face. Matthew's bruised hand lightly brushed against Stephanie's clammy skin.

"Stephanie?" Matthew asked, louder this time, as he placed his right hand on Stephanie's shoulder, "Stephanie, wake up."

No response.

Matthew nudged her shoulder again. He winced as he aggravated his bruised hands, but he did care, "Stephanie? Stephanie, can you hear me?"

No response.

"Stephanie!" He cried. She did not move, she did not stir. She sat hunched over --partially resting her arms on Matthew's lap-- in a lifeless heap. Matthew felt his heart skip a beat as he gazed at Stephanie's contorted body.

Matthew threw his head back onto the driver's seat, exasperating the headache he felt from his injured occiput. He quickly shut his eyes as he groaned in pain. He could feel his heartbeat pound in his brain, which prompted him to raise his hands to gently rub his temples. He opened his eyes as he pulled his hands away, only to see fresh blood stain his fingertips.

"Oh no. Oh god, no. This can't be happening," Matthew muttered, turning back to Stephanie. He took hold of her sides in an attempt to hug her body while cautiously leaving her in her hunched position in fear of breaking any of her bones. "Please Stephanie," he pleaded quietly as tears welled in his eyes, "please don't do this to me. I can't live without you."

Matthew lifted himself from Stephanie's back and placed his hands on the sides of her head. He brought his face down to hers and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. Her face looked pale as if all of the life were drained from it. The girl, who became flustered over her love for him just a few minutes ago, sat cold and unmoving. She looked dead.

_Dead._

Sweat started to bead on Matthew's forehead as he focused intently on his wife. His mind felt as though it were racing despite the fact that he could not compile a single thought. He tried to run his fingers through Stephanie's hair, but he felt nothing as if he lost all sensation in his hands. He then moved to brush his own hair out of his face as he leaned away from his wife's body.

"N-no, no, no, no," Matthew stuttered. Salty tears, mixed with blood, poured down his cheeks and splattered on his arms and legs. "She's dead."

Matthew's mouth felt dry as the gravity of the situation started to dawn on him, "The love of my life ... is dead."

Matthew pressed his body against the car door while viciously running his fingers through his locks of hair. He turned away from Stephanie, refusing to look at her. "This must be a dream. This is all a dream," he muttered to himself as he peered at the windshield, analyzing the wreckage. Blood painted the hood of the car; Matthew presumed the body of the other driver lay by his car's front bumper for there was not a single soul that could be found in the vehicle lodged in the passenger door. Debris covered almost every surface Matthew saw, both on his own car and lodged in the asphalt.

The setting sun blended into the color of the sky as Matthew's eyes welled with more tears. This time he audibly cried, attempting to wipe away his tears between heart-wrenching wails. Part of him was still in shock over what had happened while the other half was stuck in reality, forcing his mind to remember vividly every sound, smell, and image he sensed since he woke up, causing his chest to feel as though it were collapsing. Each crying session came in spurts; Matthew would allow his tears cover himself for not even a minute before he lifted his arm to dry his eyes. He would then stare out the windshield emotionless, but then the tears would come back and the vicious cycle would start all over again.

As Matthew sat motionless in his seat again, he saw something move to his right. He glanced over at Stephanie again and focused on her hunched back. Subtly, her body rose and fell in a calming, rhythmic movement. Matthew held his breath as he intently concentrated on her body.

"She's alive?"

He paused and watched her lay peacefully, breathing rhythmically once more. Matthew quickly wiped away his tears with his jacket sleeve. A small smile slowly crept onto his face.

"She's okay," he sighed in relief, expelling old air from his lungs that he did not realize he was holding in.

Matthew deeply breathed in and out, desperately trying to match Stephanie's rhythm in order to soothe his anxiety. Slowly, a sense of drowsiness, that he had been unintentionally ignoring, started to overtake his being now that he knew that Stephanie was alive.

"She's okay."

He grabbed Stephanie's hand and laced his fingers with hers.

"We're okay."

He laid his head gently on the back of the driver's seat and exhaled once again. Despite the increasing intensity of the sound of sirens in the distance, Matthew allowed his eyes to close and before he knew it, the darkness that overtook him during the collision overcame his mind once again.

"Everything is okay."


	3. The Call

"Jason, sit down, pacing around is not helping the situation," Chris muttered, annoyed by the constant sound of Jason's socks heaving across the rug, as his body slumped into the old, brown couch in the livestreaming room. He gazed at Jason, following his every move with arms crossed upon his chest, and shook his head. He then glanced at his watch on his left wrist; 4:15. The stream was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago with Matthew and Stephanie firmly placed where he currently sat, with Jason tangled in the wires that ran the livestream, and with Chris on the floor behind the camera, ready to help with any technical difficulties. As of that moment though, Matthew and Stephanie were nowhere to be seen. _It shouldn't take them an hour to get a small cake, right?_ Chris thought to himself as he lifted his bare feet off of the carpet and folded them under his legs.

Jason briefly stopped moving and turned his body to face Chris, "You know I can't. I have to set up the livestream."

Chris cocked his head, "But, the livestream is ready. We are just waiting for Ma--"

"Matthew and Stephanie, I know," Jason sighed as he moved towards the couch, turned, and fell into the brown cushions. Chris, surprised by Jason's sudden actions, placed his hands behind his back and lifted his body to move himself down the couch, furthering the gap between him and his coworker. Jason placed his hands on his face and viciously rubbed his eyes. Of all days, they had to be late on his birthday. His _birthday_. Instead of spending time with his wife, he had to spend his time waiting for his bosses to come back so he could do his job. _Matthew is so irresponsible sometimes_ , he thought to himself. _Why did he insist on buying that fuckin' cake_. Chris stared at him, unsure of what to say. The two sat in an awkward silence until Jason removed his fists from his eyes and cleared his throat, "Did you get any messages from them?" He asked, voice cutting through the tense atmosphere between them.

Chris grabbed his phone from the pine table that sat in front of him, swiped the lock screen, and shook his head. "No," he replied, "Did you?"

Jason hovered his body off of the couch and shoved his hand into his back pocket, then sat back in his spot with a loud sigh. He too unlocked his phone and noticed the lack of messages, "No."

"Maybe we should call them," Chris suggested, looking at Jason once more. He noticed the hint of concern in Chris' eyes.

"That's ... an idea," he replied slowly, "I'll do that," Jason tapped the call icon, searched for 'Boss Man', and pressed 'call'. Chris watched intently, listening for the sound of Matthew's voice, but was taken aback when Jason winced as the dial tone rang loudly next to his ear, pulsating through his head.

"You have reached the voicemail of ... Matthew Patr--"

Jason quickly pressed the red 'end call' icon, frustrated by the lack of communication from the Patricks. _Where the hell are they?_ Chris turned his gaze away from Jason, who had dropped his phone on the cushion beside him, and looked at his toes that peaked out from under his legs. _Where could they be?_ Jason groaned as he released the tension in his body and let himself sink into the couch once more. Chris heard the couch creak as it accommodated Jason's broad body once again, drawing Chris away from his dirty feet. He looked at his coworker once more, studying his features. He looked exhausted and stressed, as dark circles mixed with a little sweat formed under his eyes, and his body tensed once again. Jason brought his hands to his face once more, rested his elbow on the arm of the couch, and placed his forehead to his palm in an effort to hold his head up. Chris frowned, knowing that this is not how Jason wanted to spend his birthday. Sure, as much as Matthew chastised the men every stream, their boss treated them with respect behind the camera, but still, it was his _birthday_ and Chris knew that all Jason wanted to do was spend it with his wife. But, the days go on, and all four of the livestreamers had a crowd that they had to please, and Jason was well aware of that, so he did not put up a fight. He dared not ask for the day off. Chris sighed. Working in the entertainment industry was tough. It wore all four of them down, especially Matthew and Stephanie, being the internet personalities while Jason and Chris were merely their employees. But still, constant livestreaming took a toll on the handymen as well; especially Jason. Chris leaned his back against the arm on his side of the couch as Jason groaned. Both men had hoped that today's livestream would go smoothly, that they would go home early, and that Chris could get some well-needed rest while Jason had the opportunity to spend the rest of the evening with his wife at his own home, but the only Patrick that was at the house was Skip, who was currently laying where Chris' feet would be placed if they were on the floor and not under his legs on the couch.

"Hey, Jason," Chris said, breaking the silence that started to grow between them, "Why don't you try calling Steph?" _Maybe she would pick up_ Chris thought, praying that he was right.

Jason lifted his head from his hand and glared at Chris, obviously frustrated with the situation, "If I called Mat and he didn't pick up the damn phone then wouldn't you think that Steph would pick up for him?" he asked. The question was a lot more brutal than Jason originally intended, but he did not apologize --that was until Chris unconsciously pressed his body further into his side of the couch in fear of Jason's tone of voice. Chris knew that Jason was not angry at him in any way, but the way Jason projected his anger onto him was frightening.

Jason's eyes widened for a moment before he relaxed his body once again and sighed, "I'm sorry man. I'm just really frustrated."

Chris resumed his original position but focused on Skip, who decided to jump onto the couch and sit between the two men, licking his paw. He refused to look at Jason, "It's alright I understand." He then pondered for a moment before answering Jason's semi-rhetorical question, "Well, Mat usually keeps his phone in his back pocket. He may have forgotten to take it out and put it in the center console before he started to drive. He has a tendency to do that."

"Yeah, you have a point," Jason slid his hand underneath Skip's body to grab his phone, "I'll give Steph a call." He tapped on the 'call' icon again, searched for 'Steph', and pressed 'call'. As soon as the familiar faint ring emitted through the phone, another similar ring could be heard, muffled, from under Chris. He shoved his hand into the crevices between the cushions and pulled out Stephanie's cellphone, covered in lint and crumbs. The phone vibrated in Chris' hand until Jason ended the call.

Chris then placed her phone on the pine table with his, "Well, I guess we'll just have to wait."

Jason placed his elbow on the armrest next to his hips and buried his face in the palms of his hands once again, unsure of what to do. Neither men knew when the Patricks were coming back which frustrated Jason and concerned Chris. Jason kept glancing at his watch, then gazing at the door, thinking of what he would say once Matthew's smug face appeared. He was growing angry with the theorist at the moment, and there were so many things he wanted to tell him, like _where the hell were you_ and _why did it take you over a fuckin' hour to buy a damn cake_ , but that would be disrespectful to his boss; to his friend. As Jason sat brooding on his side of the couch, Chris slowly felt his anxiety start to consume him. He shifted his position, bringing his knees to his chest as he let his mind wander to dangerous places. _What if something bad happened to them? What if they won't come back? What if they_ died _on the way home?_ Chris violently shook his head, as if those thoughts would fly out of his conscious through his ears. He sighed quietly, but in the silent room, it was loud enough for Jason to notice. He turned his gaze away from the livestream equipment that sat in the distance to Chris. He looked, scared. His body was as tense as Jason's, but unlike Jason, Chris' body was contorted in a way that made him seem smaller, less vulnerable, more condensed in an effort to comfort himself and calm his nerves. Chris reached a shaking hand towards Skip to pet his head. The uneasiness of Chris' body movements prompted Jason to notice his apprentice's uneven, shallow breaths.

"Hey man, are you alright?" Jason asked, inching closer to his co-worker, to which Chris responded by retracting his hand and leaning away from Jason's advance.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Chris responded, voice unwavering despite his slightly quivering body. It was obvious that he did not want to talk about the horrific thoughts that ran rampant in his mind, and Jason picked up on that very quickly. Jason turned away from Chris and looked to his set up in the corner of the room. There was something that he had been neglecting to do.

Jason audibly groaned as he lifted his body off of the depths of the couch and made his way to his computer. Chris turned his gaze away from the phones that laid upon the table to Jason who crossed his field of view, "Where are you going?"

"Someone has to apologize."

"Apologize? To who?"

"The chat."

Jason sat in his black office chair, slightly swaying from side to side, as he quickly typed up a message in the community tab on the Game Theory channel.

Hey theorists, Jason (and Chris) here. I am sorry to say that GTLive will be a lot later than usual today. Hopefully we will be able to start soon.

"What are they saying?" Chris asked as he firmly placed his feet on the rug below the couch.

"The usual, hashtag LatePat," Jason scrolled through the chat as Chris started to draw near him.

"How about the Twits?" Chris responded, looking over Jason's shoulder as he switched tabs on the browser, which displayed the #GTLive feed, "More hashtag LatePats, but most seem more concerned with where Mat and Steph are."

"That's nice of them," Chris muttered, placing a hand on Jason's shoulder as he leaned closer to the monitor, reading each tweet Jason passed as he scrolled through the mass of messages.

Jason laughed, "Twitter is a lot more considerate than the chat." Chris nodded in agreement.

"Woah, did you see that?" Chris asked, smiling, pointing his index finger to the screen, "That was some pretty awesome fan art!"

Jason chuckled, "Look at this," he stopped scrolling on a post that someone had made. It was Matthew's face photoshopped onto a meme.

Chris laughed, forgetting the lingering anxiety that he had felt moments ago, "These kids are hilarious."

"And look at this one," Jason scrolled through the feed a little more and paused on another piece of fanart, "I think we should hire her as our new blackboard artist."

Chris' smile quickly faded to a frown as he turned his head to Jason, about to make a snarky remark about the quality of his drawings compared to the quality of Jason's commentary during the streams, but then he looked at the artwork again and sighed, "Maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea."

*

Jason and Chris sat upon the couch, with Skip wedged between them again. It had been ten minutes since Jason had messaged the theorist community about Matthew and Stephanie's absence, but to the two technicians, it felt like an hour. _When were they coming home?_ Neither men knew. Jason, with his laptop placed on the couch arm rest next to him, played more 'Happy Room' to get a better feel for the game while Chris had his own laptop between his legs as he scrolled through the chat and Twitter in an attempt to distract himself from his growing concern for the Patricks. They sat in silence, except for the occasional thump of an object knocked off of a shelf, due to Skip's tail. But then, a sharp ring echoed through the room. Jason immediately grabbed his phone and pressed the 'answer' icon, without thinking twice.

"Matthew, where the hell are you?"

Chris jumped at Jason's sudden, loud voice, almost knocking the laptop out of his lap.

"Is this Jason Parker?"

Jason's breath hitched. That was not Matthew's voice. Chris noticed Jason's change in complexion and slowly moved next to him, bridging the gap between them, listening to the voice on the phone.

Jason stuttered, taken aback by the strikingly calm voice on the line, "Y-yes." Maybe he should have checked the caller ID.

"Matthew and Stephanie Patrick were emitted into the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center as of 4:35pm. You are the closest emergency contact of Matthew Patrick's list," the voice stated.

Jason froze, unsure of how to respond. All of the anger and frustration that he felt towards Matthew had seemed to melt away and replaced with a new emotion; _fear_. The same fear that Chris had felt since the beginning. Chris' heart sank as soon as he looked at Jason's panic stricken and shocked face. He knew it; there was something wrong. He quickly snatched the phone from Jason's hand, stood in front of the couch, and spoke to the hospital worker in the calmest voice that he could muster.

"Hello, my name is Chris and I am a good friend of Matthew and Stephanie Patrick. What happened?"

"Chris? Chris ... Ah, Chris. You are also an emergency contact," the worker stated, "I cannot discuss the details of the Patricks' condition over the phone, but I encourage you and Mr. Parker to come to the hospital so the doctor can describe the event. You may be able to see Mr. Patrick, but you will not be able to see Mrs. Patrick at this time, though."

"Is Stephanie alright?"

"I cannot say."

Chris answered immediately, "I understand," then, he took a deep breath before continuing, trying his best to keep his composure, "Thank you so much, we will be right there."

Jason turned to Chris as he ended the call, "What happened?"

Chris shook his head, legs quivering slightly, but he resisted the urge to fall back into the couch, "I don't know. It seems as though Mat is alright, but they said that we can't see Steph."

Jason turned away from Chris and sighed deeply as his heartbeat pulsated through his head, pushing on the sides of his skull.

Chris gave the phone back to Jason, which he received reluctantly, then moved to grab his jacket. He could feel his knees start to buckle from underneath him. _What happened to Steph? Why can't we see her?_ As he shoved his arms into the sleeves, he let his mind wander again, causing his anxiety to overtake him once more as he assumed the worst.

"What if something really bad happened to her," Chris asked, his voice barely audible, even in the silent room, "What if she's --"

"Don't you dare say 'dead'," Jason scolded from across the room as he quickly, and carelessly, packed his electronics away, just out of Skip's reach. Chris' body tensed as he listened to Jason speak, his voice cutting through the air like a sharp knife. He shook his head. _Get it together_ he told himself as he zipped his coat. He stood in the far corner of the livestreaming room as he watch Jason grab his keys and both of their phones.

"Come on," Jason said, motioning to Chris with his arm as he made his way to the door, "We are going to the hospital."


End file.
